Conventional plumbing and piping systems generally include one or more pipes which distribute fluids such as water, to desired locations. These conventional piping systems are often constructed from metal or polyvinylchloride (PVC) pipes and these pipes are typically connected by various types of known fittings. Because metal and PVC pipes are generally inflexible, when it is necessary for the pipe to turn at an angle, such as 90xc2x0, the pipes are cut to the desired length and an angled section, such as an elbow or a 90xc2x0 connector, is used to join the pipes. This method requires that the pipes be cut at the correct length and then fastened to the angled section in a manner that does not allow the fluid contained within the piping system to leak. The time required for installing the system is increased because the pipes must be cut and fastened to other angled sections, and the added connections increase the possibility that the piping system will leak.
To overcome the difficulty and delay in forming a pipe that bends at angles or bends around corners, flexible tubing can be used, such as cross-linked polyethylene (PEX) tubing. In addition to being able to bend around corners, PEX tubing is advantageous because if water freezes within the tubing, it is flexible enough to expand and prevent rupture. Unfortunately, the flexible PEX tubing deforms locally if it is bent at too tight of a radius, and this deformation blocks or unacceptably restricts the flow of fluid within the tubing. Some curved braces have been provided to help avoid this kinking, but those braces can be difficult to install and use, and costly to manufacture, and are generally lacking in versatility of application.
There is thus a need for an improved method and apparatus to allow the use of flexible pipe around corners that does not unacceptably restrict the flow of water through the pipe.
A bracket is provided to hold a flexible tube in a bent configuration. The bracket has a curved shape with a collar or flange at one end to hold a tube in a first direction. The first end also incorporates a flexible lever which serves as a locking device in one mode of use, as described later. The bracket has an opposing end that holds the tube in a second direction, with the tube being bent in between the two ends of the bracket along a defined bending profile. The bracket advantageously encloses part of the tube to support the tube as it bends and to limit the radius at which the tube bends. The bracket preferably has two spaced-apart holes through which fasteners can be inserted to fasten the middle support to a stud, joist, or other structural member as desired in one mode of use. Preferably, the bracket also has spacers with ends configured to abut the ends of adjacent spacers on adjacent brackets so the brackets can be stacked side-by-side so two nails can fasten several brackets to a stud.
In a second mode of use, the smaller, second end of the curved bracket is inserted through a hole in a strap that is fastened to one or more studs or framing members of a building. The collar at the first end has a grooved portion to restrain movement of the bracket within the hole. The lever flexes out of the way to allow the bracket to be inserted through the hole and the groove to be seated, but springs back to rigidly engage one side of the strap, and thus provide a solid resistance to removal of the bracket once installed. Advantageously, depending on the shape and dimensions of the hole in the strap, the bracket may also be rotated into any desired orientation after installation.
In more detail, there is provided a bracket for forming and holding flexible tubing in a bent configuration. The bracket has an inner wall defining a first radius of curvature along an axis of predetermined length and having opposing first and second ends. The bracket has an outer wall defining a second radius of curvature that is greater than the inner radius of curvature by at least the outer diameter of the tubing to be located in the bracket during use of the bracket, with the outer wall being located adjacent at least the first and second ends to engage sides of the tubing and limit the angle at which the tubing enters and leaves the bracket. The inner and outer walls are connected but provide a slot along at least a substantial length of the inner wall. The slot is sufficiently large to allow the tubing to be inserted through the slot during use of the bracket. At least one lateral restraint is connected to the bracket and extends at least partially across the slot to maintain the tubing in the bracket during use of the bracket. Preferably, the slot extends the entire length of the bracket and a middle wall connects the inner and outer walls to form a channel having a generally C-shaped cross-section.
Advantageously, the bracket has at least one and preferably two spacers extending along axes that are orthogonal to the first radius of curvature. The spacers are of predetermined length and have ends configured to abut similarly shaped ends, so that, with the cooperation of other features and projections of the bracket, multiple brackets may be stacked with the spacers abutting, with the length of the spacers being selected to maintain the center lines of tubing held by adjacent brackets to be at a predetermined distance. The spacer ends and other features and projections of the bracket are also configured to provide a stable mounting plane against a flat adjacent surface. Moreover, the spacers preferably have a hole through each of them with the holes being sized to allow passage of a fastener to fasten the bracket to a structural support. A second bracket, or any multiple of brackets, of any of the configurations defined herein can be placed adjacent another bracket in a side-by-side manner, with the spacers abutting each other and with the holes aligned so that a fastener extends through the aligned holes to fasten the brackets to a structural support.
In a further embodiment, a flange is adjacent the first end of the inner wall and connected to the inner and outer walls. The flange preferably has at least one peripheral portion configured to engage the edges of a opening in a plumbing strap to resist linear movement of the flange and bracket in the plane of the strap at the location of the opening into which the flange is inserted during use of the bracket.
Moreover, a resilient latch can be connected to the bracket adjacent the flange. The latch can bend to allow resilient passage through the opening in the strap during use of the bracket and then expands into a position to engage the strap and prevent passage back through the opening.
Additionally, the bracket can have a tab extending outward from one of the walls a distance greater than the flange. The tab is offset from the flange a distance sufficient to allow the plumbing strap to be inserted between the flange and the tab during use of the bracket.
The above features can be used in differing combinations with some features being omitted from the combinations.
The invention also contemplates the use of the above apparatus in various methods for supporting and holding tubing. These methods include a method for supporting flexible tubing in a curved orientation using a bracket having an inner wall defining a radius of curvature suitable for the tubing and having a flange on a first end of the inner wall and extending outward. The method includes the steps of inserting the flange into an opening in a plumbing strap to engage a periphery of the flange with an inner edge of the strap defining the opening into which the flange is inserted in order to restrain movement of the flange in the plane of the strap. The flange has a portion of its periphery with a groove sized to receive the strap and the strap is placed into the groove to restrain movement of the flange perpendicular to the strap. The bracket has a resilient latch with a distal end extending outward of the flange so the latch resiliently moves to pass through the opening in the strap and be placed adjacent an opposing side of the strap to further restrain movement of the bracket perpendicular to the strap. The bracket also preferably has an elongated slot extending at least from the flange to a second end of the bracket. A distal end of the tubing is inserted through an opening in the flange and the tubing is guided into the slot with the inner and outer walls causing the tubing to follow to the shape of the inner wall without kinking. The tubing can be inserted before or after the bracket is inserted into the plumbing strap.